The blue-eyed ground dove, scientifically known as Columbina cyanopis, belongs to the family of Columbidae birds. Its natural habitat is limited to the Cerrado region of Brazil.
The blue-eyed ground dove measures 15.5 cm (6.1 in) in length and has distinctive coloring. The male bird displays purplish-red coloration on its head, neck, wing coverts, uppertail coverts, and breast, while its lower breast, belly, flanks, shoulders, and back are brown in hue. Its vent and undertail coverts are white in contrast. A closed wing showcases a blend of dark brown and chestnut tones, accented with iridescent blue spots. The central tail feathers are rufous in color, while the outer ones are darker. The blue-eyed ground dove boasts a blue eye set within a bare gray skin. On the other hand, adult females have lighter plumage, especially on their underparts. Juveniles feature rufous edges on multiple feathers, and their wing spots may not be as distinct.
The blue-eyed ground dove is commonly found residing in the expansive savannah and grasslands of the Brazilian cerrado. However, recent sightings of this beautiful bird since 1980 have only been recorded in a few states such as Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul. Further research showed that the last sighting of this bird was in the year 2007, specifically in the state of Minas Gerais. In contrast, the historical records of the blue-eyed ground dove indicate that it had been observed in several other regions such as Mato Grosso during the early 1800s, São Paulo in 1904, and Goiás in the early 1940s.
The male Dickcissel was spotted sitting on a metallic pole, belting out a beautiful tune with its neck extended and beak wide open.
The blue-eyed ground dove’s melodious tune consists of a sequence of calming and consistent cooing sounds, which can be phonetically transcribed as “wah”, “wuh” or “prrah”.
The blue-eyed ground dove is in a critical state, according to the assessment made by the IUCN. This bird species is extremely rare with only a few recent sightings, indicating that there are very few of them left in the wild. Furthermore, habitat loss is happening rapidly in the region, leading to an inferred continuing decline in their population.
